REPORT ON SUCCESSFUL DIOCESAN YOUTH DAY 2017

Over 70 young people from around the Diocese attended our first ever Diocesan Youth Day on Saturday last in the Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Centre. A Redemptorist group from Esker Co. Galway led us in the first part of the day. From 2:00p.m. to 5:00p.m., there were a variety of workshops for the young people. They engaged in clay work reminiscing on a memory from their younger days and this led them to reflect on their journey of faith. The young people also explored beliefs, values and attitudes. They really seemed to engage and take a lot from the various workshops. At 5p.m., a band from Derry called ‘I am Worship’ took the group for Music Ministry. They spoke to the young people about how we can express our faith through music. They also prepared a number of pieces with the young people for the youth mass. At 6 o’clock we had a pizza party which they thoroughly enjoyed. We then walked in procession to the Cathedral for Mass during which Fr. Patrick Cahill, co- founder of the Holy Family Mission in Waterford spoke in a very engaging way to the young people. One line in particular that struck me was ‘I’m a priest for 9 years and I love being a priest.’ That is something that we don’t generally hear and I think the young people really got a lot from his homily. Bishop Leo was the main celebrant and also spoke to the young people. ‘I am worship’ provided the music and they were excellent. They really added an extra dimension to the ceremony. It was a really great start for our first Diocesan Youth Day. We had 12 parishes represented and I know next year we can make it bigger and better.